When you think of Dutch death metal, chances are good that a specific crunchier and thick tonality comes to mind thanks to the likes of Asphyx and Pentacle. But Lucifericon has tread a different path since their formation in 2009, bringing elements of those formative periods of death, thrash, and black while pushing them out into a more atmospheric and sprawling direction. For album number two The Warlock of Da'ath Lucifericon has continued to blur the lines between these metal genres further while still keeping that death metal weight at the core of their material, resulting in material that allows for darker atmosphere and creepier tones to seep in between bludgeoning riffing.
There are some noticeable differences compared to 2018’s Al-Khem-Me, particularly when it comes to how the band has approached the recording and overall production. While there is still plenty of low end to their material, there’s a bit more space between instruments this time around and the melodic elements of the sound have been allowed to expand outwards further. This suits the types of songs Lucifericon has written this time around, as while there are plenty of scorching riffs and faster tempos that bring in old-school death metal and thrash, the band spends just as much time exploring some slower grooves and atmosphere that builds slowly. The Warlock of Da'ath channels a bit more black metal than its immediate predecessor, particularly on songs like “The Veils of Negative Existence” and “Sigillum Azoetia - The Map of Possibility”. It’s a great mix of that old-school spirit with some of the more modern and atmospheric takes on the genre that doesn’t overly sterilize things, and when Lucifericon reaches their peak with these huge sounding climaxes they hit some stunning levels. There are a few lulls when the songs start to increase in length though, particularly on the title track where the slower riffs feel overstretched and overstay their welcome a bit. This doesn’t derail the experience, but it does dampen the end of the album a bit and I still found that the more concise tracks that blended the atmosphere and aggressive riffing stood out the most.
Rob Reijnders’ vocals come in as raspier screams that tear through the recording with aggression and grit, feeling somewhere between death metal and older black/thrash with how intense the performance is. With the increased clarity in the production the screams have been given even more space to breathe, and you’ll notice right from the beginning there are some echoes and other effects on key passages that add to the atmospheric side of the material. The subtle variations from each passage to the next work to Lucifericon’s advantage, as Reijnders goes for the throat when the instrumentals are at their most abrasive and falls back towards some slightly creepier and mysterious tones when the melodies are emphasized. You also get some chanting/spoken word on “Ancient Lineage” that fits the occult lyrical themes the band explores, providing additional diversity to an already strong performance.
It has been interesting to see Lucifericon evolve over the years, as they’ve incorporated even more black metal into their death metal roots for a mixture that brings just as much tense and dark atmosphere as it does scorching and sharp riffs. This mix continues to set them apart from many of their countrymen, and while the two longer tracks do drag slightly this is still a worthy effort from a group that only seems to be getting better with time. Capturing that aggressive and raw old-school spirit while injecting some of the fuller, clear sounds newer bands offer is hard to balance, but Lucifericon has done it. The Warlock of Da'ath is available from Invictus Productions.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg